The judging system in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) ensures fair and transparent scoring of fights, maintaining the integrity of the sport. It is based on a unified set of criteria that judges use to evaluate and determine the outcome of each fight when it does not end in a finish (e.g., knockout or submission).
The judging system typically follows the 10-Point Must System, where:
•The winner of a round is awarded 10 points.
•The loser of the round receives 9 points or fewer, depending on the level of dominance.
Judges evaluate the fight based on the following criteria, in order of importance:
a. Effective Striking and Grappling (Primary Criterion)
•Striking: Landing clean, impactful strikes that visibly affect the opponent.
•Grappling: Successful takedowns, reversals, submission attempts, and dominant positions.
b. Effective Aggressiveness (Secondary Criterion)
•Rewarding fighters who move forward, press the action, and attempt to engage meaningfully.
c. Octagon Control (Tertiary Criterion)
•Assessing which fighter controls the pace, location, and positioning of the fight.
Each fight consists of 3 to 5 rounds (depending on the fight type), with each round lasting:
•3 minutes for amateur bouts.
•5 minutes for professional bouts or championship rounds.
Judges score each round independently, and the scores are tallied at the end of the fight.
Judges’ scores result in the following possible outcomes:
•Unanimous Decision: All three judges agree on the winner.
•Split Decision: Two judges score for one fighter, while the third scores for the other.
•Majority Decision: Two judges score for one fighter, and the third scores a draw.
•Unanimous Draw: All judges score the fight as a draw.
•Majority Draw: Two judges score the fight as a draw, while the third picks a winner.
•Split Draw: Judges provide varying scores leading to a draw.
5. Judges’ Responsibilities
•Sit in neutral positions around the cage to ensure fair observation from different angles.
•Focus solely on the action, without influence from crowd noise or other distractions.
•Maintain consistency and professionalism in scoring according to the established criteria.
•Training and Certification: IMMASF provides training and certification programs for judges to ensure their understanding of the rules and scoring criteria.
•Accountability: The federation monitors judges’ performance to uphold the sport’s integrity.
•Standardization: Promotes uniform judging standards across all sanctioned events.
This section on your website can educate fighters, coaches, and fans about the judging process, fostering transparency and confidence in MMA competition under IMMASF’s governance.
